Marijuana Today Daily Headlines
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 | Curated by host Shea Gunther

// Three US senators announce plans for major federal marijuana reform (Marijuana Business Daily)

// Virginia Marijuana Legalization Bills Sail Though Committees As Key Friday Deadline Nears (Marijuana Moment)

// Black entrepreneurs are underrepresented in Michigan’s recreational marijuana industry (Detroit Metro Times)

These headlines are brought to you by Curaleaf, one of the leading vertically-integrated cannabis operators in the U.S. With legal medical and adult use marijuana dispensaries, cultivation sites, and processing facilities all over the United States, Curaleaf has served more than 350,000 medical cannabis patients and looks forward to helping many more long into the future. Swing over to Curaleaf.com to learn more about this very cool company!

// Top Minnesota Lawmakers File Marijuana Legalization Bill For 2021 (Marijuana Moment)

// West Virginia awards medical cannabis dispensary licenses many to MSOs (Marijuana Business Daily)

// Biden’s USDA Takes First Meeting With Hemp Industry To Learn About Market Needs (Marijuana Moment)

// Arizona’s new recreational cannabis firms see strong sales possible supply issues on horizon (Marijuana Business Daily)

// New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Clean-Up Marijuana Bill To Resolve Governor’s Underage Concerns (Marijuana Moment)

// Idaho Lawmakers Approve Resolution That Would Quash 2022 Marijuana Legalization Initiatives (Marijuana Moment)

// Oregon first U.S. state to decriminalize possession of hard drugs (CTV News (AP))

Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.

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Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Marijuana Today Daily Headlines
Friday, January 29, 2021 | Curated by host Shea Gunther

// Arizona medical cannabis firms qualify for second grow permit regulators say (Marijuana Business Daily)

// Top New York Lawmaker Says Pass Legislature’s Marijuana Legalization Bill Before Governor Negotiations (Marijuana Moment)

// Pennsylvania Governor Includes Marijuana Legalization In 2021 Priority List (Marijuana Moment)

These headlines are brought to you by the upcoming Homegrown Weed Summit, the first and only online event dedicated to teaching you how to grow elite cannabis from seed to harvest right in your home. The Homegrown Weed Summit is coming up on February 15 and will feature four days of online events with noted cannabis pros like Tommy Chong, Danny Danko, and Ed Rosenthal. You can learn more about the Homegrown Weed Summit and get your free ticket now over at HomeGrownWeedSummit.com!

// Minnesota Governor Urges Lawmakers To Pursue Marijuana Legalization Amid Budget Talks (Marijuana Moment)

// California Marijuana Workers Can’t Get COVID Vaccine Answers As Maryland Prioritizes The Industry (Marijuana Moment)

// Michigan cannabis operator brings in $50 million from small investor offering (Marijuana Business Daily)

// TerrAscend Closes C$224 Million Capital Raise (New Cannabis Ventures)

// Marijuana software firm Agrify prices IPO to raise $54 million (Marijuana Business Daily)

// Ayr Strategies to Move Forward with $75 Million Arizona Cannabis Acquisition (New Cannabis Ventures)

// Top Pennsylvania Official Restores Marijuana Flag After GOP Lawmakers Allegedly Got It Removed (Marijuana Moment)

Check out our other projects: • Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement. • Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.

Love these headlines? Love our podcast? Support our work with a financial contribution and become a patron.

Photo: Else Olofsson/Flickr

Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.

Arizona has already started sales of adult-use marijuana.  In contrast, New Jersey still hasn’t passed legislation allowing sales.  Virginia is making progress on its legalization bill.  On the federal level, the USDA’s hemp rule may face a freeze.  Meanwhile, the FDA withdrew its CBD guidance.  And finally, there’s weed in the City of London.

arizona

Recreational marijuana sales start today in Arizona, a mere three months after the state fully legalized.  Starting with existing medical marijuana dispensaries that have already been through a vetting process made the system more efficient than the years’ long process we’ve seen in other states.  Additional licenses are expected to be approved starting in the spring.

new jersey

In the Garden State, however, we have a completely different picture.  New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) and the legislature set to work on legislation to legalize back in November, but so far, have nothing to show for it.  Penalties for underage possession dominate the disagreement, and the impasse seems likely to end in a veto.

virginia

Meanwhile, in Virginia, a legalization bill passed the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Subcommittee this week.  The bill now moves to additional committees, so we’re a long way from final passage.  The Governor’s goal is to establish legal sales in 2023.

usda hemp

As we reported last week, the USDA issued its final hemp rule.  As we also reported, new administrations sometimes take a second look at rules finalized in the waning days of previous administrations.  Although there is no official “freeze” on the hemp rules, they meet the standard for reopening the comment period.  For a look at the rules, see our take here.

fda & cbd

The FDA is facing the same scenario with its document on CBD.  It submitted guidance to the Office of Management and Budget last March, and the industry has been waiting for it to emerge ever since.  It appears the wait will continue, as the FDA officially withdrew the document, in light of the new administration’s instruction to pull pending rules.

and finally

City of London police discovered a cannabis factory set up next door to the Bank of England building in the heart of the City.  The presence of over 800 plants created a “strong smell of cannabis,” leading to the raid.  No word on what this might mean for cannabis banking!

Stay safe and be well everyone – we’ll see you next week!